Dorset Police Federation has officially opened its new member friendly Headquarters in Dorchester.

James Dimmack, Chair of Dorset Police Federation, said: "Where we were before at headquarters, I think it started out as a temporary fix, and it was basically a portacabin that we lived in forever, and we were grateful for it but that space was coming to an end due to the redevelopment of headquarters, and the new HQ building, it's not outrageous to say is a smaller building and is based on new ways of working, and the space that the force could have afforded us just would not have met our needs.

“We now have the opportunity to get somewhere bespoke, we can design it ourselves as we wish, and it's a place for our members to come that is away from prying eyes, away from any pressures of work, and often the reasons that officers come to us is those very pressures, so coming into that environment is often a challenge, so it's a neutral safe space where we can operate independently and discretely, and that's really, really important for us and for our members.

“For us as a team, it allows us to function in a way more holistic style, we have space to have our board meetings here, our regional meetings if they're required, and also get everyone from the office in together so we can function to the best of our ability.”